Understanding the Psychological Effects of Attending Regular Cancer Screenings

To better understand the psychological effect of breast cancer screening on patients in an outpatient Breast Center. Correlations between psychological symptomatology, worry about cancer and being screened for breast cancer were studied.

The Breast Center was established in 1995. In 2023, a total of 8,462 patients were screened for breast cancer. Upon referral to the Breast Center, patients were approached to determine their interest in participating in the research study. Participants were required to complete three instruments, as follows: 1) Demographic Form (13 items); 2) Cancer Worry scale (6 items, higher scores are indicative of more worry about cancer); and the Indices of Pathophysiology-SPECTRA Assessment Scale (96 items). The Cancer Worry scale assesses concerns about cancer recurrence and the impact of these concerns on daily functioning. SPECTRA includes 12 clinical scales providing direct measurement of conditions, such as: depression, anxiety, social anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, The Cancer Worry Scale and SPECTRA are valid measures that have been used in past research in a manner currently being used in this research study.

The sample included 154 participants with an average age of 59.3 years (range 30-85; standard deviation = 12.8). The ethnicity majority was 93.4% Caucasian American. 55.2% of participants reported being currently employed. 21.4% reported a history of cancer, 9.1% reported a history of breast cancer and 33.8% reported a family history of cancer. Higher scores on the Cancer Worry Scale were related to SPECTRA scores on depression (r = 0.35, p<0.001), anxiety (r = 0.39, p<0.001), post-traumatic stress (r = 0.21, p = 0.03), and the general psychopathology index (r = 0.28, p = -0.27). There was a relationship between how treatable the participant thought cancer was and depression scores (r= 0.27, p= 0.01). Those who reported poorer overall physical health also reported more anxiety about cancer (r= 0.24, p<0.01).

Being screened for cancer is thought to be an anxiety provoking experience for patients and possibly more so for those with a personal or family history of cancer. Nevertheless, many patients currently do not receive regular screening tests. As a result, psychological anxiety and other forms of emotional distress go undetected; and, as a result, not treated in a timely manner. Including psychological assessment of patients being screened for cancer facilitates early intervention to help ameliorate possible psychopathology associated with cancer screening.